Happy Gilmore, filmed
in Vancouver, is a comedy in which the hero has a passion for
the game of hockey. After his father dies while playing
hockey, his girlfriend leaves him and Gilmore goes to live
with his grandmother. Although he has a passion for hockey, he
doesn't succeed in the hockey team tryouts. At his last
tryout, his bad temper explodes and he beats up the coach. He
turns his sights toward golf and eventually proves to be
successful both financially and in love.
Animal Action:
Real and fake alligators were used in the film as well as a
frog which is seen briefly sitting on a tree limb at a golf
course.
Two live alligators
were transported from California to Vancouver, British
Columbia. Three animal trainers were always present while
filming the live action with the alligator. One of the
alligators named McNasty, was chosen because she has a
particularly wild temperament. The alligators were transported
by air cargo in wooded boxes in which airholes were drilled
and which were lined with foam padding. The animals, who had
their mouths taped to prevent them from harming people and
themselves, were accompanied by their trainers. While in
Vancouver, a van was used as ground transportation for the
wooden boxes containing the alligators
To get the alligator
out of the van or truck, a waist-tie plastic cable was always
used. The three trainers then carried the wooden box, which
had wheels, onto the grassy golf course and untaped the
allegator's mouth. She quickly snapped and went in the
opposite direction toward the pond. She was filmed landing in
the pond but, from this point on, a mechanical alligator was
used for filming. The second alligator was never used. It is
the mechanical alligator that Gilmore appears to struggle with
in the pond in an effort to retrieve his golf ball.
This production was
filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia by a Canadian company.
American Humane was not on set.
